sabriel (the abhorsen trilogy)_加斯·尼克斯-第35部分

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ickens　and　dropping　them　to　flop　headless　in　a　box；　concentrated　on　shutting　out　their　bewildered　featherbrained　experience　of　death。

beyond　the　market　there　was　a　wide　swath　of　empty　ground。　it　had　obviously　been　intentionally　cleared；　first　with　fire；　then　with　mattock；　shovel　and　bar。　sabriel　wondered　why；　till　she　saw　the　aqueduct　that　ran　beyond　and　parallel　to　this　strip　of　wasteland。　the　city　folk　who　lived　in　the　valley　didn鈥檛　have　an　agreement　with　the　dead鈥攖heir　part　of　the　city　was　bounded　by　aqueducts；　and　the　dead　could　no　more　walk　under　running　water　than　over　it。

the　cleared　ground　was　a　precaution；　allowing　the　aqueducts　to　be　guarded鈥攁nd　sure　　enough；　sabriel　saw　a　patrol　of　archers　marching　atop　it；　their　regularly　moving　shapes　silhouetted；　shadow　puppets　against　the　sky。　the　boy　was　leading　them　to　a　central　arch；　which　rose　up　through　two　of　the　aqueduct鈥檚　four　tiers；　and　there　were　more　archers　there。

smaller　arches　continued　on　each　side；　supporting　the　aqueduct鈥檚　main　channel；　but　these　were　heavily　overgrown　with　thornbushes；　to　prevent　unauthorized　entry　by　the　living；　while　the　swift　water　overhead　held　back　the　dead。

sabriel　drew　her　boat　cloak　tight　as　they　passed　under　the　arch；　but　the　guards　paid　them　no　more　attention　than　was　required　to　extort　a　silver　penny　from　touchstone。　they　seemed　very　third…rate鈥攅ven　fourth…rate鈥敗�soldiers；　who　were　probably　more　constables　and　watchkeepers　than　anything　else。　none　bore　the　charter　mark；　or　had　any　trace　of　free　magic。

beyond　the　aqueduct；　streets　wound　chaotically　from　an　unevenly　paved　square；　plete　with　an　eccentrically　spouting　fountain鈥攖he　water　jetted　from　the　ears　of　a　statue；　a　statue　of　an　impressively　crowned　man。

鈥渒ing　anstyr　the　third；鈥潯�said　touchstone；　pointing　at　the　fountain。　鈥渉e　had　a　strange　sense　of　humor；　by　all　accounts。　i鈥檓　glad　it鈥檚　still　there。鈥�

鈥渨here　are　we　going？鈥潯�asked　sabriel。　she　felt　better　now　that　she　knew　the　citizenry　weren鈥檛　in　league　with　the　dead。

鈥渢his　boy　says　he　knows　a　good　inn；鈥潯�replied　touchstone；　indicating　the　ragged　urchin　who　was　grinning　just　out　of　reach　of　the　alwaysexpected　blow。

鈥渟ign　of　three　lemons；鈥潯�said　the　boy。　鈥渂est　in　the　city；　lord；　lady。鈥�

he　had　just　turned　back　from　them　to　go　on；　when　a　loud；　badly　cast　bell　sounded　from　somewhere　towards　the　harbor。　it　rang　three　times；　the　sound　sending　pigeons　racketing　into　flight　from　the　square。

鈥渨hat鈥檚　that？鈥潯�asked　sabriel。　the　boy　looked　at　her；　open…mouthed。　鈥渢he　bell。鈥�

鈥渟unfall；鈥潯�replied　the　boy；　once　he　knew　what　she　was　asking。　he　said　it　as　if　stating　the　blindingly　obvious。　鈥渆arly；　i　reckon。　must　be　cloud　ing；　or　somefing。鈥�

鈥渆veryone　es　in　when　the　sunfall　bell　sounds？鈥潯�asked　sabriel。

鈥渃ourse！鈥潯�snorted　the　boy。　鈥渙therwise　the　haunts　or　the　ghlims　get　you。鈥�

鈥渋　see；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　鈥渓ead　on。鈥�

surprisingly；　the　sign　of　three　lemons　was　quite　a　pleasant　inn。　a　whitewashed　building　of　four　storys；　it　fronted　onto　a　smaller　square　some　two　hundred　yards　from　king　anstyr鈥檚　fountain　square。　there　were　three　enormous　lemon　trees　in　the　middle　of　the　square；　somehow　thick　with　pleasant…smelling　leaves　and　copious　amounts　of　fruit；　despite　the　season。　charter　magic；　thought　sabriel；　and　sure　enough；　there　was　a　charter　stone　hidden　amongst　the　trees；　and　a　number　of　ancient　spells　of　fertility；　warmth　and　bountitude。　sabriel　sniffed　the　lemon…scented　air　gratefully；　thankful　that　her　room　had　a　window　fronting　the　square。

behind　her；　a　maid　was　filling　a　tin　bath　with　hot　water。　several　large　buckets　had　already　gone　in鈥攖his　would　be　the　last。　sabriel　closed　the　window　and　came　over　to　look　at　the　stillsteaming　water　in　anticipation。

鈥渨ill　that　be　all；　miss？鈥潯�asked　the　maid；　halfcurtseying。

鈥測es；　thank　you；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　the　maid　edged　out　the　door；　and　sabriel　slid　the　bar　across；　before　divesting　herself　of　her　cloak；　and　then　the　stinking；　sweat…　and　salt…encrusted　armor　and　garments　that　had　virtually　stuck　to　her　after　almost　a　week　at　sea。　naked；　she　rested　her　sword　against　the　bath鈥檚　rim鈥攊n　easy　reach鈥攖hen　sank　gratefully　into　the　water；　taking　up　the　lump　of　lemon…scented　soap　to　begin　removing　the　caked　grime　and　sweat。

through　the　wall；　she　could　hear　a　man鈥檚鈥敗�touchstone鈥檚鈥攙oice。　then　water　gurgling；　that　maid　giggling。　sabriel　stopped　soaping　and　concentrated　on　the　sound。　it　was　hard　to　hear；　but　there　was　more　giggling；　a　deep；　indistinct　male　voice；　then　a　loud　splash。　like　two　bodies　in　a　bath　rather　than　one。

there　was　silence　for　a　while；　then　more　splashing；　gasps；　giggles鈥攚as　that　touchstone　laughing？　then　a　series　of　short；　sharp；　moans。

womanly　ones。　sabriel　flushed　and　gritted　her　teeth　at　the　same　time；　then　quickly　lowered　her　head　into　the　water　so　she　couldn鈥檛　hear；　leaving　only　her　nose　and　mouth　exposed。　underwater；　all　was　silent；　save　for　the　dull　booming　of　her　heart；　echoing　in　her　flooded　ears。

what　did　it　matter？　she　didn鈥檛　think　of　touchstone　in　that　way。　sex　was　the　last　thing　　on　her　mind。　just　another　plication鈥敗�contraception鈥攎essiness鈥攅motions。　there　were　enough　problems。　concentrate　on　planning。

think　ahead。　it　was　just　because　touchstone　was　the　first　young　man　she鈥檇　met　out　of　school；　that　was　all。　it　was　none　of　her　business。　she　didn鈥檛　even　know　his　real　name　。　。　。

a　dull　tapping　noise　on　the　side　of　the　bath　made　her　raise　her　head　out　of　the　water；　just　in　time　to　hear　a　very　self…satisfied；　masculine　and　drawn…out　moan　from　the　other　side　of　the　wall。

she　was　about　to　stick　her　head　back　under；　when　mogget鈥檚　pink　nose　appeared　on　the　rim。

so　she　sat　up；　water　cascading　down　her　face；　hiding　the　tears　she　told　herself　weren鈥檛　there。

angrily；　she　crossed　her　arms　across　her　breasts　and　said；　鈥渨hat　do　you　want？鈥�

鈥渋　just　thought　that　you　might　like　to　know　that　touchstone鈥檚　room　is　that　way；鈥潯�said　mogget；　indicating　the　silent　room　opposite　the　one　with　the　noisy　couple。　鈥渋t　hasn鈥檛　got　a　bathtub；　so　he鈥檇　like　to　know　if　he　can　use　yours　when　you鈥檙e　finished。　he鈥檚　waiting　downstairs　in　the　meantime；　getting　the　local　news。鈥�

鈥渙h；鈥潯�replied　sabriel。　she　looked　across　at　the　far；　silent　wall；　then　back　to　the　close　wall；　where　　the　human　noises　were　now　largely　lost　in　the　groaning　of　bedsprings。　鈥渨ell；　tell　him　i　won鈥檛　be　long。鈥�

twenty　minutes　later；　a　clean　sabriel；　garbed　in　a　borrowed　dress　made　incongruous　by　her　sword…belt　（the　bell…bandolier　lay　under　her　bed；　with　mogget　asleep　on　top　of　it）；　crept　on　slippered　feet　through　the　largely　empty　mon　room　and　tapped　the　salty；　begrimed　touchstone　on　the　back；　making　him　spill　his　beer。

鈥測our　turn　for　the　bath；鈥潯�sabriel　said　cheerily；　鈥渕y　evil…smelling　swordsman。　i鈥檝e　just　had　it　refilled。　mogget鈥檚　in　the　room；　by　the　way。　i　hope　you　don鈥檛　mind。鈥�

鈥渨hy　would　i　mind？鈥潯�asked　touchstone；　as　much　puzzled　by　her　manner　as　the　question。　鈥渋　just　want　to　get　clean；　that鈥檚　all。鈥�

鈥済ood；鈥潯�replied　sabriel；　obscurely。　鈥渋鈥檒l　organize　for　dinner　to　be　served　in　your　room；　so　we　can　plan　as　we　eat。鈥�

in　the　event；　the　planning　didn鈥檛　take　long；　nor　was　it　slow　in　dampening　what　was　otherwise　a　relatively　festive　occasion。　they　were　safe　for　the　moment；　clean；　well…fed鈥攁nd　able　to　forget　past　troubles　and　future　fears　for　a　little　while。

but；　as　soon　as　the　last　dish鈥攁　squid　stew；　　with　garlic；　barley；　yellow　squash　and　tarragon　vinegar鈥攚as　cleared；　the　present　reasserted　itself；　plete　with　cares　and　woe。

鈥渋　think　the　most　likely　place　to　find　my　father鈥檚　body　will　be　at　。　。　。　that　place；　where　the　queen　was　slain；鈥潯�sabriel　said　slowly。　鈥渢he　reservoir。　where　is　it；　by　the　way？鈥�

鈥渦nder　the　palace　hill；鈥潯�replied　touchstone。

鈥渢here　are　several　different　ways　to　enter。　all　lie　beyond　this　aqueduct…guarded　valley。鈥�

鈥測ou　are　probably　right　about　your　father；鈥�

mogget　mented　from　his　nest　of　blankets　in　the　middle　of　touchstone鈥檚　bed。　鈥渂ut　that　is　also　the　most　dangerous　place　for　us　to　go。

charter　magic　will　be　greatly　warped；　including　various　bindings鈥攁nd　there　is　a　chance　that　our　enemy　。　。　。鈥�

鈥渒errigor；鈥潯�interrupted　sabriel。　鈥渂ut　he　may　not　be　there。　even　if　he　is；　we　may　be　able　to　sneak　in鈥斺��

鈥渨e　might　be　able　to　sneak　around　the　edges；鈥�

said　touchstone。　鈥渢he　reservoir　is　enormous；　and　there　are　hundreds　of　columns。　but　wading　is　noisy；　and　the　water　is　very　still鈥攕ound　carries。

and　the　six　。　。　。　you　know　。　。　。　they　are　in　the　very　center。鈥�

鈥渋f　i　can　find　my　father　and　bring　his　spirit　back　to　his　body；鈥潯�sabriel　said　stubbornly；　鈥渢hen　we　can　deal　with　whatever　confronts　us。　that　is　the　first　thing。　my　father。　everything　else　is　just　a　plication　that鈥檚　followed　on。鈥�

鈥渙r　preceded　it；鈥潯�said　mogget。　鈥渟o；　i　take　it　your　master　plan　is　to　sneak　in；　as　far　as　we　can；　find　your　father鈥檚　body；　which　will　hopefully　be　tucked　away　in　some　safe　corner；　and　then　see　what　happens？鈥�

鈥渨e鈥檒l　go　in　the　middle　of　a　clear；　sunny　day　。　。　。鈥潯�sabriel　began。

鈥渋t鈥檚　underground；鈥潯�interrupted　mogget。

鈥渟o　we　have　sunlight　to　retreat　to；鈥潯�sabriel　continued　in　a　quelling　tone。

鈥渁nd　there　are　light　shafts；鈥潯�added　touchstone。

鈥渁t　noon；　it鈥檚　a　sort　of　dim　twilight　down　there；　with　patches　of　faint　sun　on　the　water。鈥�

鈥渟o；　we鈥檒l　find　father鈥檚　body；　bring　it　back　to　safety　here；鈥潯�said　sabriel；　鈥渁nd　。　。　。　and　take　things　from　there。鈥�

鈥渋t　sounds　like　a　terribly　brilliant　plan　to　me；鈥�

muttered　mogget。　鈥渢he　genius　of　simplicity　。　。　。鈥�

鈥樷�榗an　you　think　of　anything　else？鈥潯�snapped　sabriel。　鈥渋鈥檝e　tried；　and　i　can鈥檛。　i　wish　i　could　go　home　to　ancelstierre　and　forget　the　whole　　thing鈥攂ut　then　i鈥檇　never　see　father　again；　and　the　dead　would　just　eat　up　everything　living　in　this　whole　rotten　kingdom。　maybe　it　won鈥檛　work；　but　at　least　i鈥檒l　be　trying　something；　like　the　abhorsen　i鈥檓　supposed　to　be　and　you鈥檙e　always　telling　me　i鈥檓　not！鈥�

silence　greeted　this　sally。　touchstone　looked　away；　embarrassed。　mogget　looked　at　her；　yawned　and　s